Defeated Sanity Chronicles of Lunacy

Tech-death legends Defeated Sanity have delivered complex, brutal and heavy records since the band's formation in 1993. With their debut album, Prelude To The Tragedy in 2004, the band began to cement their legacy with their technical proficiency and brutality. They would continue that success by releasing brutal album after brutal album. With huge fan-favorite records like Psalms of The Moribund and Passages into Deformity, as well as the band pushing experimentation with their 2016 album Disposal of The Dead // Dharmata. With their upcoming seventh album, Chronicles of Lunacy, drummer Lille Gruber said in an interview that the band wanted to get back to it's raw slam sound that their fans loved on their debut. Does the band deliver that feeling of violent nostalgia that the fans missed and wanted? 

The album opens with the track “Amputationsdrang”. Featuring guest backing vocals from Danny Nelson of Malignancy and Paolo Paguntalan of Encenathrakh. Opening with a slamming, heavy riff from Vaughn Stoffey and underlying bass from Jacob Schmidt. Lille Gruber's light blasting speeds up as Josh Welshman's vocals deliver that deep, guttural gurgle you'd get from bands like Dying Fetus or early-Nile. Schmidt gets some bass lead pieces on the track, with his bass playing ringing higher in the mix. Before the guitar and drums bring that aggressive pulse. Still slam in nature, the song has some progressive elements at certain sections. Brutal, guttural and a heavy as all hell opening track.

"The Odour of Sanctity" just hits the ground running right as it starts. With blast beats from Gruber and guitar strikes coinciding with the drumming, into some tremolo moments, straight into brutal down-tuned chugging. Showing off the technicality in the playing and proficiency in the band's speed and precision. The band is just firing on all cylinders with the complexity of the riff, while also delivering the brutal breakdown sections that the slamming death metal genre does so characteristically well. I was banging my head along with the riff, as the song just gets heavier and faster. While pacing and time signature-esque changes mixes up the pacing and flow of the song. I love Gruber's drum solo near the close of the song. 

"Condemned To Vascular Famine" opens with some ambient synth like effects, and Gruber leading with a diverse opening drum fill as the rest of the band joins in. Schmidt takes a nice bass lead before all hell breaks loose. The band kicks into overdrive with the brutality. Spearheaded by Gruber's pounding drums, Schmidt's fretboard hopping playing and overall heaviness. A sonic onslaught of technicality, while also continuing the progressive elements of previous records. At six minutes, the band went for the jugular in the instrumentation and pummels the listener with everything the band can throw at them. The manic, chaotic nature of the closing minute is just so heavy, diverse, and a blast to listen to. 

Bottom Line: Chronicles of Lunacy delivers a perfect amalgamation of the band's past, while also incorporating the technical and progressive elements of their current sound. Delivering a sonic onslaught of brutal technical death metal that the band nails perfectly. The band marries the band's legacy perfectly with this record. With elements throughout the band's career, Chronicles of Lunacy really has something for everyone on this record. If you want the brutal, caveman slam riffs? This record has it. You want the complex, technical musicianship? This record has that too. A strong record and may rival some of the band's classic records and will become a new favorite among the fanbase.